Inquest Opens into Death of Indigenous Man in Correctional Service Canada Custody

Today marks the opening of the inquest into the death of Kendal Campeau, a member of the Yellow Quill First Nation who died in the custody of Correctional Service Canada (CSC) on November 14, 2021. Campeau was 31 years old.

Campeau’s death highlights the ongoing and disproportionate harms experienced by Indigenous people in Canada’s prison system. The BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC), BC Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN), First Nations Summit (FNS), Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), and Prisoners’ Legal Services (PLS) are calling on all levels of government to address the systemic conditions that contribute to the mass incarceration and in-custody deaths of Indigenous people.

On the day of his death, Campeau experienced an overdose from a toxic combination of medications and was transported to the hospital. He was discharged shortly afterward and returned to custody. Hours later, while under observation in a prison cell, he died.

Indigenous people make up approximately one-third of the federal prison population in Canada, and are disproportionately exposed to some of the most harmful aspects of incarceration, including isolation, uses of force, and self-harm incidents. The BCAFN, BCFNJC, FNS, UBCIC, and PLS have repeatedly called on Canada to address the mass incarceration of Indigenous Peoples by redirecting resources from prisons to Indigenous governments, organizations, and communities to support community-based solutions.

Campeau had a long history of being harmed by colonial systems, including the foster care and prison systems. He spent prolonged periods in solitary confinement, experienced violent abuse by prison officers, and survived suicide attempts. An investigation by CSC found that the correctional service failed to appropriately consider Campeau’s Indigenous Social History when making decisions about his incarceration.

Campeau lived with chronic pain and significant mental health needs. At the time of his death, he was being held at the Regional Treatment Centre-Pacific, a CSC facility meant to provide psychiatric care to people in federal custody. CSC treatment centres were recently the subject of a scathing critique by the Correctional Investigator of Canada, who concluded there was little to differentiate them from regular prisons and that security is prioritized over the delivery of care.

In the weeks before his death, Campeau spoke to a doctor about being prescribed methadone, an Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT), but he never received a prescription. The BC Coroner’s Service determined that Campeau died of methadone toxicity, an indication that he obtained methadone through other means in an attempt to self-medicate.

Doctors, researchers, and civil society organizations have condemned new CSC restrictions on OAT in prison and called instead for evidence-based care.

When a loved one is placed in an institution, they should be receiving client-centred care to meet their needs to be returned to their families healed and on a better path,” said Fontaine. “Families should be included in the rehabilitation of their loved ones. Those who are placed in institutional settings are human beings and deserve love, care, and respect, no matter their circumstances.”

The inquest begins on September 28, 2026, at 9:30am and will be livestreamed on the BC Coroner’s website.